Supporting joint



April 9, 1935. H. w. GOULD ETAL ,9

SUPPORTING JOINT Filed'March 19, 1934 I MM km "II [bl/H5276 Ham/d WGOLZZd,

' provisionloi a' metal joint. for receiving .stand- I 1,99631 61; SUPPORTING Jonvri l Harold W. Gama; Evanstonjand Albert J. Matter, Park-Ridge; Ill.,1"assi'gnors to- Crane Packing 1 7 Company, Chicago,:1ll;, a corporation of lllinois Application mam, integral -1 mm j. J

J Claims. (creel-) v in general toa support- I An objection to the use. of" such I h ingjoint, for 'scafi'olds, carpenters horses.- and the like ,and'hasmore particular. reference tol a.

carpenters? horse typefof structure;

An important object ofthe invent-o isin the ard'sizes of ilumberfor making up asupporting ack or horse by simply. inserting ,Lluinber {of standard sizes mtjne'sokets'or openings t ereof I without requiring-any special-fitting of'thelum-,

per therein. i

n furtherobject drthfifivehti fi {is n the pee -v1s1 .on of afsupporting joint in whichmeans are prov1ded,'.f or causing the lumbe'rLto'fittightly therein without jlooseness or play even though the, lumberjiordinarily fittinginjthe joint is slightlyundersized or has' driedor'shrunk toa considerable extent. A further object of the invention is in the provision, of, ,-means for gripping the pieces, of lumber inserted therein .fo'r holding them tightly fandj firmlyjinlplace'. t .A' still further object ofthe inventionflis. in the' provis ion of asupporti'ng joint which comprises a, single unitary, casting. or a stamping made from asingle pieceof materialg f Other objects of' the, invention wi1l.jappear hereinafter, the accompanying drawing illustrating preferred embodiments'there'of. lnthedrawingz. e g Fig. 1 is a perspective of, a supporting joint in accordance with this invention. as made .from a V casting;,Fig. 2 is ,asectional view offthe joint. Fig. 3fisa sectiont'akenon the mesa of Fig.1;2. g. 7 i Fig.- 4 is a section takeni onithe line 4 -4 of Fig.2. v 5 illustrates a'modification formedof she'et Fig1j6 is apla'n View of a stampingffrom which the structurejof Fig. 5 isfformed, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a; stamping as 'shown in Fig. 5. v Asup port in the form of acarpenterfs horse may beiiised ina variety of ways, for scaffolds, to support additional tables for occasional use as wellas for the well known use by' carpenters and other mechanics. *Oneof the greatobjections to their use is that they occupy considerable space and'do not fold or'pack readily in a small space. The present invention overcomes these objections by providing a joint in which lumber of ordinary or stock sizes may. be inserted as a cross piece o'r the legs of thehorselwithout any forming orcutting and fitting of thelegs and cross pieces except cutting to the properlength.

even with ordinarylumber is thatif. the lumber is not of the proper size .or if ithas become driedv orshrunk, the'pieceswill not fit the opehingsor sockets of the jointl ti ghtly and may, lthe refore',

be loose or easily 'disconnectediand mayl break;

or fall injactual use. l'he present invention,

therefore, is directedlparticularly 1 to the provision of a supporting joint in which grippingQmeans isprovidedr en a n em i ma am 1 the; joint 2 and holding them tightly inxplace even though they are considerably. smaller in size,

than; theYpiece s :for' which, the. openings] Zine tended. W 'Referring nowfmore-particularlyf tothe draw;

ring, a; cast joint I0 is I shown; more clearlyj in Figs. 1 and: 2 whichis somewhatangular incross section and:has an opening H in th top for receiving a cross or connecting member l2 and has sockets l-3'opening from ,the bottom atan angle-toeach other,v the socketsbeing defined f In order to bindthe cross. piece lz tightly-Kin place the end opening l I of thejoint is made by the sidesand ends oi thecasting and byjan' angular inner projecting rib 1.4'at ea 'chvendon.

somewhat narrower than thesize-of the. Cross piece it is intendednto receive and the side edges :11 of; each ofthe end openingsarepointed or a sharpened either by. casting; them thatwa'yor by grinding the adjacent surface l8 until the'edges- H a e, um ntlr ha to' ht y n a eaWi e piece [2 inserted and pressedtherein;

l w e ei side 951 so k 3 i flbirrjid with. one -or, more lribs l9 audio e tending 'lengthwisewof the socket at the sidesn thereof. and having inclined orbevelledlower ex: -tremities and adapted to engage and cut into the n sides 1 of the-leg -l 5 which may be inserted in the -With V will beheld tightly in placeby the joint even" though the lumber; used is scantyin size or has become so hydrying orshrinking. .1 i 'In-reusingthesame pieces they may 'beturned either end for endor reversed so that when reengaging the ribs will notcut into the lumber in the 1 I same; locations;

thisfconstruction the legs andcrosspieces A similardevice,may be made of a singlepiecee of. he tmeta fl s w m rm ser in F sS- Q 6 and 7. A piece of sheet metal is outwith Each pie'ceQ'Lis-connected to oneside of the bottom ofkathevyokeby spot=welding to form aretaining strap to embrace, the end of an inserted leg 30 and the intermediate portion of the yoke forms is further held in place and prevented-*fromen gaging witha cross piecej 3l :by aa,;downwardly turned rib 34 at the inher t-side of the toprof 2.1 3 yoke.

portion of the inserted legs 30. v u v i order to hold the legs and cross pieces tightly in. jplace :in' "this joint, *the side edges 3! of the openings "32, aresharpened for I pointed to cut into and "hold gthe- [cross piece}! tightly in tional supporting 'surface-for the'crosspieee 3| which wouldordinarily dig into the metal at ,tnfifi'DDin s unlessjadditional Contact ur a provided.

' .i'I re o e ae t emes-3 and l 'm tightlyjin vplace; 'the-s'trips fl'which' extend above the outer sides of the legs have inwardly" turned edges 39 'as shown 'more clea'rly "in Fig: 7 adjacent their points O QOnnection to the lower cor hers jofthe yoke-memberZB hichare preferably "sharpened or pointed and extend parallelwith the edges an'd sides "of the legs inserted therein.

flhenpperedgleof each sideof theyoke member is also turned inwardly at #40 and pointed *or sharpened-to; engage the; sides of an insertedleg 'a'djacent 'the extremity thereon With; this 'conv the pieces tightlyin'place;

yes

struction the legs will'be held tightlyin thesock- Lets 'f ormedibyjthe strap' fzirand the' stop portions 33" at the'top of the yokamernber and willb engaged 'by the knife :01 sharp edges 39 and "40 atfthe-sidesfof each Ileg1atits upper'extreniity;

jIn t his latter; formtheiextremities of the l'egs 'are' -also'locate'd at'the*sides'-"of the-cross member insteadof below it as in the iorm 'shown by l but inneither'casefdo the' legs engage the crossmernber orassistfinbinding it'in place fInf both of these forms-stock sizes o1f 'lumbe'r ar int nde i i i used a i hin e to. cut themfto'any'particular shape-except tothe length} desired even: though thelun'iber does not "fit *the ope hing" it 'may'jb'e pressed into position by engagement with the "knife edges whi'ch'fhol'd -shown"in Fig; 1 for injs'ertiriga screwthrough-the hwltdfjthe joint memberintdengagement with the cross-on leg members,

Totake apart the connected members for storage orshipment they are simply pulled out of the sockets-or 'openingsan'ddf they should stickiby reasonoftheknife edge-engagementthe ends of the legs "are easily accessible 'yvhenthe cross 7 piece is removed for pounding th'e 'leg's loose-from theirsockets. Thelegs and-cross pieees maylbe assembled in compact-relation and the joints Also at the ends 'ofjthezyokezmemheriears or projections 35 are pressedinwardly from pens ings 32 to form a guide andseat for theadjacent see it. e m'seem the f'solsetif are strong and rigid; they are not likely to become loose in any ordinary usage.

with'a stopattheitop ofthesooket tosprevent an inserted leg .from projecting intoithe "open slot at the top andwith sharpened ribs extending gilergthwise in the sockets positioned for engaging a stop 33 for engaging the end of a leg 3!! which thelegs inserted therein. 1 t

2; Annetal supporting fitting having an open ,slotrat' the itop iangular sockets extending itherein atr-theibottom, means forming stop memibersrat' rthe upper tends of the sockets to prevent atleg, irom projecting into the top slot, and the sides (iftht'op slothaving knife edges to engage amt-grip the sides of a connecting strip inserted rom he ten o he s e the ein-s. I 1' 3;

'm t support n c mm; t he'vm fien Den s qtr n i he pie tenfqlinejdqw war y in h. ends and with the sides ith? end sharp ned o,

ex d ne'i harn rib with n the. QCkQ Jn,

t srinleesiin @Qthmrein: 1 "4'L'In ametal supporting jdint atop slotfand tt m ets ther na an angl t hesl t; t avinefinwa dly'ex endinssh rp ribsexei'lqnefit'udinally 'efit esockets a d apered d essa e: the

" 5. supporting ."jointfor. a rectangularjicross beam and supportinglegs, tli'ezliqint being a-nietal shelllhav e, spa ed endswith" a slot extendin downwardly'from the top andith sidespi the 'ends'having sharpfblail s, adapteditoerieageand transversely grip a cross 'beamfinserted therein, lateral extending means a between the nds rm ing. sockets, for .receivingi'supporting legs and meanswitninjthe.ip ntfand'betweentne endsftqr engaging the, upper l ends; of legsfinsertedin t sockets f ril rr itinel their upwa d mo eme ti and preventing.thelegsffrom engaging a crosspiece inserted ingthe top slot. 1 .e

6. A suiipoitirigfidirit' omprising'acros'sgbeam andsnpporting legs, a metal. joint th refor comprising sheetmetal'having straps cut from the central portionitliereoj, the outer {piece of, sheet metal =bei'ng bent to extend over the tops of the legs and 'the cutout recess forming an open top slot. for receiving a cross beam, andfltne .edge zof the slothaving s'harpblades for engagingand gripp n a. .c.ross beam transve selr th in; and the strapsfbe'ing rigidly attached to' the .lower edges of, the. outer member'to forma retaining socket Jinto Which/the. legs are-inserted against 'theuppei sidesofthegyoke-member. g

f 1;,A supporting jointfor alrectangular cross beam" andtsupporting. legs-the joint .comprisinga piece of sheet metal ,having. straps out from the centraliiiqrtion thereoi, the outer r'nembeiq being .bent to form ayoke extending. over thetop ,or the legs zandwwithin an pening wtherein ;-forming an open slot fori-the cross'beam, the straps being attachedito'the:IQWQL O Hie GEGS o the ok 9 form a: retainingsocket into whioh the legs are inserted; and: 'isharp ribs turned. inwardly v:from the :straps :and' ithe yoke and. extending tlongi- 'tudinally in thessocketsiinipositiontorengage the sides o'f thelleg ends insertedin the socket.

8. A supporting fitting for a cross beam and I 9; In asheet metal supporting joint, an aper-f supporting legs, the fitting comprising a yoke member to extend over the top of opposite legs and with a, slot extending downwardly from the top to receive a cross beam,the edges of the slot being sharpened to transversely engage a cross beamtherein, straps secured "to the lower ends of the yoke member and projections extending inwardly from the endsof the 'yoke member to gether forming a socketfor receiving supporting legs and 'for preventing thelegs' from engaging a cross beam inserted inthe slots at the topthe'resharpened ribs extending lengthwise therein to longitudinally engage a leginserted in the sockets.

serted therein. of, and the socket forming straps having t tured-yoke member'to extend from the sidesover thetops of opposite supporting legs and with the opening therein forming. a top slot for receiving a cross beam, the edges of the slots being sharp to engage and transversely c'ut into a cross beam inserted therein and havingan abutment portion at thelower side of the slot .to support. a cross beam inserted therein; and'means in connection with, the yoke forming'an open socket for re-' ceiving the "upper-ends of the supporting legs in- I HAROLD w; ALBERT .L MATTER. 

